the field." thank you. >> thank you, book tv. ...

>> when i first guarded doing this book signing and things like that i was under the impression you came up and assigned to the book and they say you have to speak for a little bit. i was deer caught in the headlights i said do i read from the book or what do i do? they said it is nonfiction so you don't read from the book. what do i do? ll so basically i give a little background then we

will take you and a 450 near 20 minutes and i sign books. most of you i kind of know because this is my home town because i know a lot of you know already so i don't know where you could possibly ask me that you don't know but starting at the beginning, born in panama panama, my eight parents emigrated to the united states in 1978 and my dad joined the military. we moved around a lot as the rv family does. it was a wonderful experience and opened me up to different people, a different culture, helped me to become a better person. i graduated from high school [applause] with the eagles and went to u-tech but not so good there. [laughter] but i had a lot of fun. but the grades were not that good.

so i dropped out a really did not have a direction with my life eight jobs here and there by the time i really figured out that my love was cooking and wanted to go to a culinary school, it is very, very expensive. especially since i messed up the first time mom and dad said i had to find a way to pay for it myself. [laughter] so i looked into joining the military. i first looked in the air force because i thought it was cushy but they've wanted me to lose 50 pounds. i said no way. [laughter] the army said lose 20. i said okay. my sister was already at the military is a two if they're reserves in helping her pay for her college. i had plenty of cousins that

went into the military so it was a natural progression. i joined the army, became a coke -- cook. it is not culinary school prayer i learned how to cook for my mom and my grandma, but cooking for 500, rice and mashed potatoes was a different experience for you are not allowed to put the flavor that you can in your food for of course, my parents have to remind me we're not in the army any more. you can put some flavor in your food. [laughter] all of the love. my first assignment was four constants i was stationed there with my sister. my little sister, younger than me, but we were not happy about that situation. my mom loved it because it is not that far away and we were together. we did not like it because

you live all the time with your sister you do your own thing and army puts you right back together. reader even in the same regiment. we could not run from each other. but there is a reason for everything. i had my daughter and it was a good thing nablus so close to home with the support of my sister nearby. she graduated from u-tech and came up from colorado springs to help me buy the time it was close to reenlistment at first i said i will not reenlist then my parents said are you crazy you have a baby to take care of. i resisted and resisted the because it made sense but because mom and dad told me too. [laughter] still fighting against the parental unit but in the end i did reenlist. and requested to come back to the el paso after how many years of how many years

trying to run away and upcoming buy-back as a matter of fact i asked them to send be right back. who knew soon after i get orders for deployment to go to kuwait to support the conflict in iraq or four weeks in to buy a planet that i would be involved in an ambush and become a pow. certainly and never ever occurred to me i would be a pow. before we went into iraq we talk about sniper fire. once you talk about that you have the possibility of losing your life and that became very real for me but it never occurred to me that i would be a pow. i prepared for death but not captivity. it was not an easy capture. it was very violent i've

lost 11, rides-- comrades and moved seven times, with five others, it was not easy but it was better than i thought. i wish shot during the ambush and received medical care for my leg. i was treated humanely and then sometimes with a lot of respect which is something i did not expect from the enemy. but i am very grateful for. on the 22nd day united states marine corps came to the rescue kick down the door, just like in the movies. [laughter] they kicked down the door saying get down. i heard the clear english and i felt complete choice. complete joy. i was going home. i cannot even describe it.

there was so much going to my mind. i was so happy and coming home to a wonderful crowd in el paso was a blessing. i had no idea that all these people were waiting for us to come home. i remember folks on the aircraft saying you have a crowd. i said really? why? [laughter] i expected my family. but i did not expect so many people out there waiting just welcoming us home. appreciate more than i can say. coming home but it was not a very easy. there was a lot going on, a lot of publicity and attention and i still have to do with the aftereffects of what happened to be. physically and mentally. i am still dealing with the after effects.

i went through a lot riding this book it helped to go through thing is. to let go of some things. but i could never have done this seven years ago. i could not have done this seven years ago then to go on the media tour. everything comes to you in a time that is for you. i guess this is my time. all of the things going on is very nice, and very cool but in the and being at home in el paso, i go to committee as a culinary arts student and spending time with my family. >> [inaudible]

[laughter] being home and spending time with family here drives me nuts sometimes my daughter and my nieces and my dog is what it is all about. are you enjoy every bit of it. no matter how much they drive me crazy either love it to death. i appreciate the fact u.k. amount just to see me. especially since some of you see me every day. [laughter] and i will see you tomorrow at church. talk about get up and going to church. thank you very much for joining me and i will take questions. don't tell me you don't have no questions. i know that you do. >> my daughter goes to bless elementary and does everything she is not supposed to. she is nine years old and

two good for her own good. she is back there grinning. joshi test miners but what do you do? you have to love them. >> besides the fact my family says since i've been coming home to do the book. i said i know you think it is cure it and wonderful but the rest of the world does not feel the same way. i had to work out hot in here plus i heard of so many different stories of what happened to me from some that were nowhere near me so i really needed to set the story straight from my point* of view. as i have learned in the last two weeks, no matter what you tell certain people they will believe what they want to leave. i am starting to learn to let it go. if they don't want to

believe my version then there's nothing i can do about it. >> do you keep in touch with others in? >> yes i do. i spoke to lynch last week i definitely keep in touch with them. they are the only ones that really understand. sometimes i just need for them to tell me it is okay. and people get nasty come and they do, sometimes i can just say two words and they understand exactly what i am talking about and what i mean. we are forever connected. >> i have not read your book but we'll help me gather on the other prisoners? were you isolated?

>> i was separated from the men. most of my captivity i was separated from the men. it was about the last week we were put to in the same room through my captivity. >> how did you move when you went from place to place? >> the first couple of hours they carried me buy the end of that night i walked because i was afraid they would get tired of carrying me. and it just ended so i said you need to walk. so i walked and i sucked it up. >> when you were rescued did you ever find out what happened to the iraqi men who were holding us captive at that time? >> no.

i have no idea. we heard some rumblings that maybe they went to the american side but we never found out what happened. >> when you came back, how were you treated? that you were treated in a way that was responsible? >> yes and no. there were a lot of issues as far as medical and things like that. i was very fortunate my auntie is the are an and that with me during the checkups. she was very vocal about the things she think i needed

about starting their b of a4 ptsd and i my staff was denied i had an issue for a long time. she pushed, my mom and my dad pushed and i really started to get help. but they had to push. >> i have heard that is important. [inaudible] >> as the sole do you learn to suck up a lot of things in the last thing you want to a bit is something is wrong. of family could be the advocate for their soldier. you have to push a little bit. do not be afraid to push for your servicemen made a sacrifice.

don't think i don't want to rock the boat. rock the stinking go. this person is part of your life and they have earned the medical care. push if you have too. [inaudible] [laughter] i like my heels. i have to give up a lot of things. i am not giving up the issues. [laughter] >> talk about when you would wear your high heels in my guess. i try to beat you. i always try to be cute. >> monday and start to do not to put certain items in the book? >> there are certain things that i can talk about. that is just the way it is. have servicemen, my sister

is making faces at me. i will call you out. [laughter] we have servicemen in afghanistan and iraq still fighting our conflict and i have no problems keeping certain things back but i don't think it affects the story at all or makes a big difference if i say that or don't. a lot of that is about how i felt about things are how widow with the situation. i don't think those facts make a big deal. >> i was standing in your book in you talk about being on a veterans' board? >> yes on the advisory committee for minority affairs at the va. we meet twice a year and redo fight visits and make recommendations to the secretary of the b.a. >> are your plans to

continue that indefinitely? >> intel they kick me out. i will be there until they kick me out. >> it was very surprising to get on the board. at the time i was the only one from this conflict. first when i was asked i thought i could not contribute but now that i am on the board especially for the women of this conflict because the virginia facilities are not prepared for the number of women coming back needing services. they're doing their best. and that started from a couple of years ago. it is hard waiting for them to play catch up. >> with that kind of

treatment how did that they you getting good treatment to rehabilitate? >> the initial medical treatment was from the iraqis besides cleaning all the weapons, i had surgery they cleaned out the woolens again as much as they could. it was pretty good but after the surgery my captivity continue longer i did not see a doctor for a while after that and i continued to walk on my leg. by the time i was rescued my needed another surgery to repair war damage but i am glad for the initial surgery they provided. it was the best they could do under the circumstances. the city was being bombed and i got surgery. i appreciate that. >> i read john mccain's book on his experience but then when did you start to

experience isolation and? one week? two weeks? and depending on certain people's integrity like eighth of our fathers the one thing that kept him going was his faith. two weeks into his captivity he started to feel a sense of hopelessness or do you have that? >> it went back and forth. there are-- i am going home. i will do this and that and planning web by fan-- i thought "this is it." i tell my parents get my body and i hope they can lay it to rest and go on with their life. but they yelled out, and angry america is singing all the time.

[laughter] they really kept my spirits up been telling stories back and forth i remember there is a bombing close to the prison. and one of the pilots that were shot down said yes. all right and started to sing bombs over baghdad. [laughter] of course, i was not too happy. dude. [laughter] but it kept you going. although i was in a separate cell i could hear them and they gave me hope the. >> >> i went to high school with you. >> yes. [laughter] >> it is an answered prayer. i was in st. louis at the time and i remember seeing the news story and seeing you and so happy is an

answered prayer for me. i cannot read -- way to read your book. what other publicity appearance is to do you have? >> this is my last one for write now. because i did the "today show", larry king, wendy williams, and stuff like that. i think this is the last 14 right now i still have radio interference but but i pick and choose. the first few weeks it was laid out by the publisher but now it is up to me. i just want to spend a lot of time at home and i already missed two weeks of class. [laughter] i have to be real about this. i help people understanding of my experience from it. and learn not to judge a book by its cover.

to understand what it is like to be a soldier a little bit. in the end i have to go back for regular life. celebrity says it is cool but i want to pay off my mortgage and raise my daughter and see her off to college. that is what is important. >> geithner retired. i don't have to get a job. i go to school i will be a professional student. [laughter] >> what is your favorite pastry? >> i make a coconut cake. my mom showed me how. it is old fashioned crack the coconut and break it down. then i make all of the birthday cakes. they get take the. i went strawberry cake with a music girl.

[laughter] and really? that is from the five year-old. [laughter] >> i would sit down with her and tell her what it is really like. >> but it does not show everything i would tell her about everything that encompasses the mid tiller-- monetary but she has already told reno. [laughter] i did that last week on npr and they ask me the same question and she shook her head no. it is up to you. >> that was my question. having gone through what you have been through, would you like your daughter to be in

the military? >> i loved being in the army per crime of being in the service. i don't regret it being 10. i would do would again. except for the ambush. i enjoyed it. it was something i was very, very proud of and i think i made a contribution to the society in which i live. [applause] i will take two more questions than we can sign the box. >> you said you were a loan. jessica was not with you? >> no. what happened with jessica lynch common the ad and the guys were captured. lynch was unconscious they went back checking the bodies and found her alive and to occur to the hospital. by that time they had already started to move us into baghdad.

we did not see lynch again until the rescue. [inaudible] ashley we were road to baghdad. i always say that. [laughter] there was a series of movies for young people. [laughter] the doctor told me your blonde friend is a live. it was very reassuring because at the time he told me that to my knowledge it was just the five of us. alive from the whole convoy. i did not know that anybody had made it out of the city. >> do you feel it is time for the military to reestablished combat veterans? >> yes. they need to reexamine this

training. the lines for combat have change. whether you are a clerk, supply common attic attic, you are in combat and in harm's way. what is the purpose of keeping women out of combat? it does not make any sense any more. as we progress and things change three need to adapt andover come. we cannot keep the same rules as a war and society progress. we have to move forward with it. that is what is one of the things that is so great about this country and the constitution and bill of rights is so unique. should adapt as our society adapts. it has. that is why we can do this over 200 years as a society for the laws and the rules change to adapt as we grow.

>> thinking about the media so often it was not so much of a problem of those people on the outside for what is going on over there. >> yes and no. i remember coming home the teens and her all the incident where he was trying bill that will map then i heard about some of the people, where are you have? what are you doing? i am not telling you that. we are in the middle of something going on. we need to reexamine who it is we allow to be in that area. some of it needs to be shown to the public as far as how tough it is for the

soldiers, how intense so that people on this side can understand we are going through to give us support. we don't need all of the media out there telling exactly what is going on. just like to report on cnn you report to the enemy as well. [applause] we need to balance that a little bit better. >> what type of food did they serve you? [laughter] in the beginning we got a lot of bread and water. hoard bread and some porridge looking stuff. sometimes as americans we can be a little air again because i remember getting the porridge at that it was like it is now see. i am not teaching that. what makes you think y'r